Integrating Competency-Based Education and Sustainable Development Goals in Early Childhood Classrooms: A Mixed-Methods Study at Anuban Sampasa Baantonmai Kindergarten School

Abstract

The accelerating pace of globalization, climate change, and social complexity demands that early childhood education move beyond foundational skill acquisition toward the deliberate cultivation of competencies, values, and sustainability awareness. Although Thailand's Early Childhood Curriculum B.E. 2560 (2017) emphasizes holistic child development, limited empirical research has examined instructional models that systematically integrate Competency-Based Education (CBE) with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in authentic early childhood classroom practices. This mixed-methods study examined the appropriateness and preliminary effectiveness of an integrated instructional framework that embeds Competency-Based Education (CBE) within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for early childhood learners at a private trilingual kindergarten in Bangkok, Thailand. The study involved 56 kindergarten children (Years 2–3), 8 class teachers, and 2 administrators, and was conducted during the first semester of the 2025 academic year (July–August 2025). Data were collected through (1) activity documentation records identifying target competencies and linked SDGs, (2) pre–post behavioral observation checklists assessed by classroom teachers, and (3) teacher reflection questionnaires. Content validity of all instruments was confirmed by three expert reviewers (IOC range = 0.67–1.00). Expert evaluation of the integrated framework yielded a high suitability rating (M = 4.67, SD = 0.25, on a 5-point scale). Pre–post behavioral observations across two prototype activities — 'Grow with Our Hands, Grow with Our Hearts' (gardening) and 'Exploring Insects in the Garden' (nature inquiry) — revealed substantial increases in children's consistent-level performance in communication (25% → 60%), environmental responsibility (25% → 65%), and systems thinking (25% → 45%). Teacher reflection scores indicated strong endorsement (M = 4.43, SD = 0.17), with all participating teachers expressing their intention to continue implementing the approach. The findings provide preliminary empirical evidence that integrating CBE with the SDGs constitutes a developmentally appropriate instructional framework for early childhood education and extends the application of competency-based pedagogy by demonstrating how sustainability competencies can be operationalized through authentic, play-based learning experiences in the Thai context. The study contributes to the theoretical integration of competency-based learning and sustainability education in early childhood while offering an evidence-informed framework for curriculum development, teacher professional learning, and future research.